Why is Bob Stoops gigging the Aggies and his old buddy, Kevin Sumlin?

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops has had his mind on the Aggies as of late. (AP)

COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin spent exactly zero time, best I can tell, discussing Oklahoma’s nonconference schedule – or schedule in general – during last week’s SEC media days in Hoover, Ala. Oddly enough, OU’s Bob Stoops did quite the opposite this week, with the Big 12 media days ongoing in Dallas and with appearances on ESPN.

According to a Twitter post from ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, “Bob Stoops mentions Texas A&M’s non-conference schedule: ‘Lamar, Rice, SMU, La-Monroe. Those are all a bunch of toughies.’”

As a TexAgs.com poster pointed out, he even apparently named them in order in having a firm grasp of the SEC Aggies’ nonconference slate. The question is why is Stoops going to lengths to poke fun at A&M, coached by his former protégé in Sumlin and an alleged good friend – or at least they were until the Aggies’ 41-13 whipping of the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl in January of 2013 (following the 2012 season).

As a former NFL player and friend pointed out, coaches don’t publicly call out the programs of other coaches they respect (they just keep quiet in terms of any possible criticisms), but a couple of thoughts on that front:

Stoops knows Sumlin has little to do with the Aggies’ nonconference schedule – Sumlin has pointed that out multiple times over the past two years – and Stoops must believe he needs to say something at least semi-derogatory about the Aggies, who’ve gathered plenty of steam on the recruiting front under Sumlin, a Houston Cougars head coach for four seasons (2008-11) after leaving OU. The Big 12’s OU mightily recruits the Lone Star State.

Bottom line: Stoops’ curious comments are all about business and staying relevant on the national college football scene and in Texas, and not (entirely) personal with his former co-offensive coordinator with the Sooners. Although they certainly seemed as much, when he went out of his way to gig the Aggies with a national audience.